longe after, there was (as yowr Highnes and al other knowethe) nothinge earthely done. And I beseche yowr Highnes to pondre my good harte and acts passed, the whyche shall never (to dye for yt) cease to farther yowr said Highnes pleasure in thys behalffe, with all payne, faythe, and diligence, as the effect off my endevor I truste shal alwayes frutefully profe. And thus I besech our mooste mercyful Saviour Christe to preserve yowr moste noble Grace. At Venice, the xxiijd off Octobre, with the rude hand off yowr moste High Majestyes.

Moste humble and lauly servante

RICHARDE CROKE.

(From Original Letters illustrative of English History, Ellis, Lond., 1846 Third Series, II, p. 167.

105. Speeches made in the Divorce Trial between Henry VIII and Katherine of Arragon

The four speeches which follow show the hasty method of the proceedings as inaugurated, the gross injustice to the queen, and the independence of Campeius, who refused to bend his sense of right to the will of the royal despot. The determination of the cardinal that judgment must be given by the pope was an important factor in producing the religious revolution which later shook England to her centre and freed her from papal domination.

"The four following articles are the Speeches of the different parties at the famous trial of Divorce, before Wolsey and Campeius, as papal commissioners, 21st June, 1529. The Speeches are here given rather more fully than in the Chronicles."

The Speech of Queen Katherine, which she made when she was called upon, about the Divorce of her and the King, who rose out of her chair, and came to the King, and kneeling down at his feet, said as followeth :

Sir,

In what have I offended you? Or what occasion of displeasure have I given you, intending thus to put me from you? I take God to be my judge, I have been to you a true and humble wife, ever conformable to your will and pleasure; never contradicting or gain-saying you in any

thing: being always contented with all things, wherein you had any delight, or took any pleasure, without grudge, or countenance of discontent or displeasure. I loved, for your sake, all them whom you loved, whether I had cause or no; whether they were my friends, or my enemies. I have been your wife these twenty years or more, and you had by me divers children; and when you had me first, I take God to be my judge, that I was a maid: and whether it be true or no, I put it to your own conscience. If there be any just cause that you can alledge against me, either of dishonesty, or matter lawful to put me from you, I am content to depart, to my shame and confusion; and if there be none, then I pray you to let me have justice at your hands. The king, your father, was, in his time, of such an excellent wit, that he was accounted amongst all men for wisdom, to be a second Solomon; and the king of Spain, my father Fardinand, was accounted one of the wisest princes that had reigned in Spain for many years. It is not, therefore, to be doubted, but that they had gathered as wise counsellors unto them, of every realm, as to their wisdom they thought meet: And I conceive, that there were in those days, as wise and welllearned men, in both the realms, as be now at this day, who thought the marriage between you and me good and lawful. Therefore it is a wonder to me, what new inventions are now invented against me. And now to put me to stand to the order and judgment of this court, seems very unreasonable. For you may condemn me for want of being able to answer for myself; as having no council, but such as you assigned me; who cannot be indifferent on my part, since they are your subjects, and such as you have taken, and chosen out of your own council; whereunto they are privy, and dare not disclose your will, and intent. Therefore I humbly pray you, to spare me, until I may know, what council my friends in Spain will advise me to take: and if you will not, then your pleasure be fulfilled. - And with that she rose up, and departed, never more appearing in any

court.

King Henry the VIIIth's Speech upon the Queen's departure out of the Court.

I will now, in her absence, declare this unto you all, That she has been unto me as true and obedient a wife, as I could wish, or desire. She has all the virtuous qualities, that

ought to be in a woman of her dignity, or in any other of mean condition. She is also surely a noble woman born: Her condition will well declare it.

The Speech of Queen Katherine to Cardinal Campeius, and Wolsey, they being sent by the king.

My lords, I cannot answer you so suddenly; for I was set, among my maids, at work, little thinking of any such matter; wherein there needs a longer deliberation, and a better head than mine, to make answer. For I have need of council in this case, which concerns me so near and for any council, or friends that I can find in England, they are not for my profit. For it is not likely that any Englishman will council me, or be a friend to me against the king's pleasure, since they are his subjects; and for my council, in which I may trust, they are in Spain.

The Speech of Cardinal Campeius, upon King Henry the VIIIth's calling for judgment.

I will not give judgment, till I have made relation to the pope of all our proceedings; whose council, and command, I will observe. The matter is too high for us to give an hasty judgment, considering the highness of the persons, and doubtfulness of the case; and also whose commissioners we be, under whose authority we sit. It were therefore reason that we should make our chief head a council in the same, before we proceed to a definitive sentence. I came not to please, for favour, need, or dread, of any person alive, be he king, or otherwise. I have no such respect to the person, that I will offend my conscience. I will not, for the favour or disfavour of any high estate, do that thing, which shall be against the will of God. —I am an old man, (both weak and sickly) that look daily for death. I will not wade any farther in this matter, until I have the opinion and assent of the pope.

(From Somers' Collection of Tracts, ed. by Walter Scott, Lond., 1809, I, 223.) 106. The Divorce Proceedings announced to the House of Commons (1531)

Parliamentary History

On March 30, 1531, the Lord Chancellor, together with a committee of Lords Spiritual and Temporal, went to the House of Commons, where the Chancellor opened the proceedings with a brief speech announcing the reason of the visit. There is a

grim humour in the king's self-accusation of incestuous union, and the subserviency of the consulted authorities is an objectlesson of the time. The object of the communication is set forth in the concluding sentences of the extract, but it may be doubted if the purpose was accomplished.

"You of this worshipful House,

"I am sure you be not so ignorant but you know well that the Kyng our Soveraign Lorde hath maried his Brother's Wyfe; for she was both wedded and bedded with his Brother Prince Arthur, and therefore you may surely say that he hath maried his Brother's Wyfe, if this Mariage be good as so many Clerkes do doubt; Wherefore the Kyng, like a virtuous Prince, willing to be satisfied in his Conscience, and also for the Suretie of his Realme, hath, with great Deliberation, consulted with great Clerkes, and hath sent my Lorde of London, here present, to the chiefe Universities of all Christendome, to know their Opinion and Judgment in that Behalf. And altho' the Universities of Cambryge and Oxforde had been sufficient to discusse the Cause, yet, because they be in this Realme, and to avoyde all Suspicion of Partiality, he hath sent into the Realme of France, Italy, the Pope's Dominions, and Venetians, to know their Judgment in that Behalf; which have concluded, written, and sealed their Determinations, accordyng as you shall heare red." Then Sir Brian Tuke took out of a Box twelve Writings sealed, and read them before the House as they were translated into the English Tongue.

Next follows, in Hall, the Judgment of the Foreign Universities; which were those of Paris, Orleans, Anjou, Bruges, Bononia, and Padua, at Length. These being somewhat foreign to our Purpose, we shall therefore content ourselves with observing, That the Question put to these learned Societies was, Whether the Pope's Dispensation for a Brother's marrying a Brother's Wife, after Consummation with her former Husband, was valid or not? Which, as the Question was stated, they all gave in the Negative.

These Determinations being all read in the House, there were produced abouve an hundred different Books, wrote by foreign Civilians and Divines, against the Lawfulness of the Marriage; which, says Hall, because the Day was far spent, were not read. Then the Chancellor again said, “Now you of this Commen House may reporte in your Countries what you have seene and heard; and then all Men shall openly

perceyve that the Kyng hath not attempted this Matter of Wyll or Pleasure, as some Straungers reporte, but only for the Discharge of his Conscience, and Suretie of the Succession of his Realme. This is the Cause of our Repayre hyther to you, and now we wyl departe."

(Parliamentary History, 2nd ed., Lond., 1762. Vol. III, p. 81.)